Bailey defends Oz's decision to rest 'key' players from England ODI series

Australian ODI captain George Bailey has defended Australia's decision to rest a number of key players from the ongoing one-day series against England.

Test captain Michael Clarke, all-rounder Shane Watson, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and opener David Warner were all rested for the fourth one-dayer in Perth, which England won by 57 runs to snap their nine-game losing streak that dated back to the one-day series played in England in September.

According to Fox Sports, Clarke and Watson will return for the fifth and final one-dayer in Adelaide, but Warner, Haddin and pace sensation Mitchell Johnson have been put on ice ahead of next month's three-Test tour of South Africa.

Stating that he is surprised that Clarke is coming back in the Adelaide game, Bailey said that he thought that Clarke might miss two games, adding that Australia's decision to rest players was in the best interests of the team.

The report mentioned that Australia leads the one-day series 3-1 and have little to play for in the final match and Bailey further said if the board gets an opportunity to rest few players, then they take it given how crammed the schedule is, adding that the players do not have any issue with the fact that some of their teammates were rested.

Chasing England's 8-316, Australia were dismissed for 259 in the fourth ODI despite a sparkling 108 from opener Aaron Finch, the report added.